The blinding light tore through the room like a storm. Shadows screamed, retreating to corners that now felt impossibly far away. I couldn't tell if I was standing, floating, or breaking apart—but I knew one thing for certain: something inside me had awakened.
"Lucian…" Seraphine's voice trembled, both awe and fear in it. "You… you're not just releasing power… you're rewriting the laws of magic itself."
I tried to focus. My arms were glowing, my chest burning, energy twisting inside me like a living thing. It screamed for release. It screamed for blood, for air, for life, for dominance. I swallowed, trying to steady it, but the energy didn't care about control.
The figure in crimson shadows hissed, "So the child awakens… finally. Very well. Let us see if the prophecy favors him—or dooms him."
I flinched, but then I noticed something terrifying: the figure's eyes weren't just red—they were alive, like coals smoldering with centuries of malice. Every movement felt calculated, predatory. My instincts screamed at me to fight, but I was still learning to breathe, still learning to exist inside this newfound power.
Seraphine's hand clamped over mine. Her fingers were ice against my burning skin. "Lucian, listen to me! Don't let fear control you. Channel it. Control it. Now!"
I tried. I focused on her, on the warmth of her hand, on her silver eyes. My chest convulsed as the energy responded—calming slightly, forming a tangible aura around me.
The shadowed figure hissed in frustration. "So… strong… how…?"
"Stay back!" I roared—my voice splitting the room, echoing like a bell. A shockwave slammed outward, throwing the figure backward. Pieces of the ruined door splintered into the air.
I staggered, grasping the edges of my robes. Something strange was happening—symbols, glowing and intricate, were forming across my arms and chest, almost like a map of constellations burning onto my skin. And with each flicker of energy, I felt… older, wiser, yet more dangerous.
Seraphine gasped. "They're the runes of the sealed star… I've only ever read about them. If fully awakened, they can rival even the gods."
I swallowed hard. "The… sealed star?" My voice cracked. "What… what does that mean?"
Her expression darkened. "It means you were never meant to survive as a student. They sealed your power because it could destroy everything… or save it. And now… you've just broken the chains."
The shadowed figure recovered, rising with a cruel smile. "You don't understand, boy. That power belongs to me. It has always belonged to me!"
I didn't hesitate this time. I had a fragment of control, enough to direct the energy—but I had to be careful. One wrong move could rip apart the entire sanctuary.
I clenched my fists. Energy surged outward, a white-blue firestorm circling me, lifting me slightly off the floor. The shadows shrieked as tendrils of light struck them, sizzling as if reality itself was burning.
The figure recoiled, but laughed—a hollow, chilling sound. "Impressive. But the prophecy doesn't favor strength alone. It favors cunning, pain… and betrayal."
I froze. Betrayal. The word hit harder than the shadow's claws ever could.
Seraphine's silver eyes met mine. Her gaze softened, but I could see the storm in them. "Lucian… they're here for more than just you. The Academy… the kingdoms… everyone connected to this prophecy will try to bend you, break you, and use you. You have to be stronger… smarter… faster. And…" She hesitated. Her hand brushed against my chest, warmth against my glowing skin. "…and you have to trust no one fully."
I felt something coil in my stomach—a mix of fear, excitement, and raw power. This wasn't a lesson anymore. This wasn't survival in a classroom. This was war.
The shadowed figure lunged again. I didn't even think this time. The energy inside me answered instinctively. Light tore from my hands, wrapping around the intruder like living chains. The figure struggled, hissing in rage, but every moment it resisted, the light burned brighter, tighter.
Then… silence.
When my aura finally dimmed slightly, the figure had vanished. Not destroyed—vanished. As though it had retreated, waiting for the perfect moment to strike again.
I sank to the floor, exhausted, trembling from the sheer effort. My chest ached, not just from pain, but from the weight of what had just happened. I was awake… but at what cost?
Seraphine knelt beside me, her silver eyes wide with both fear and something else—hope, maybe even relief. "Lucian… you did it. You survived. And you—" She hesitated. "You're alive because of the sealed star… because of the awakening. But…" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "…others will come. Stronger. Smarter. And some… will be closer to you than you think."
I looked at her. "Closer? What do you mean?"
She shook her head. "There isn't time to explain everything now. But you need to understand one thing above all." Her hand touched mine again. "Your power… it is a curse and a blessing. One wrong step, and you could destroy everything you love. One right step, and you could save everyone… even me."
My stomach tightened. Even her. That's when I realized: I didn't just awaken power. I awakened responsibility… destiny… a life I didn't ask for, a war I didn't choose.
And somehow… somehow, I couldn't stop feeling drawn to her.
Her silver eyes held a thousand secrets. I knew she was hiding something. Something dangerous. Something that could betray me—or save me.
But for now… survival was all that mattered.
I took a deep breath, feeling the runes still glowing faintly on my arms.
Whatever this prophecy was… whatever awaited me… I was ready.
Or so I thought.
From the doorway, a shadow flickered—tall, lean, with eyes like fire. A whisper of a laugh echoed through the ruins of the sanctuary.
"Awakened, are you? This is only the beginning, Lucian Vale. The real game starts now."
And with that, the chapter closes as the night swallows everything… leaving only the storm of fate rising around me.